If your kitten is constantly crying when it is alone you may be wondering if there is something that you can do and if it will ever end…
When will my kitten stop crying when alone?
Some kittens may stop crying when they are alone within weeks of getting used to their environment. However, other kittens take months or even continue until they are adults. For example, there have been reports of some cats crying until they are 2 years of age. The kitten’s personality and how you treat them make the difference.
So, now you know. But, is this crying normal? How can you discipline a kitten? Why do some cats keep crying in the night? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…
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Is it normal for kittens to cry?
It is normal for kittens to cry. This is their only method of communication with you. They could be signaling that they are hungry, scared, or maybe in pain. It is important to listen to their crying to make sure they are not in danger or need urgent assistance.
It may be tempting to ignore them, but this is not advised (more on this later).
Is it OK to let a kitten cry?
It is not OK to let your kitten cry. This will not usually make them stop it will typically make them keep going and it will any you more than helping you. It’s better to understand what it needs and let it have it to keep it quiet.
Obviously, there is a fine line between making it get literally anything it wants, which could lead to it getting greedy or spoiled. So, you have to find the right balance.
Should I ignore my kitten meowing?
You should not ignore your cat meowing however tempting this may be. This is because they may be in a real situation that needs your assistance and it’s important to be there for them.
Sometimes they are bugging you for food, even after being fed, but you do not know until you respond and check that is all they are after.
How do you discipline a kitten?
Disciplining a kitten can be done by applying positive re-enforcement or walking away if the act too over-excited. Meaning, if they play too rough, simply walk away and see how it responds. If it then calms itself down, you can reward it with a treat (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad).
This creates a positive reinforcement loop that makes the kitten learn that good behavior is rewarded. This is better long-term and avoids you having to use negative methods like shouting, etc.
Why is your new kitten crying at night?
your new kitten is crying due to one of the following: lonely, missing her mother, hungry, thirsty, or feeling anxious (could be related to other cats). In some cases, it could be more than one of these issues.
If you have received a new kitten, there is a good chance she is keeping you up at night with her constant meowing, right? Apart from using a night light (Click here for my best 3 night lights for cats) you need to understand all your options.
Now that you know the type of issues that can be causing this constant meowing, let me move on to explain more detail about these issues, as well as proposing some solutions to stop it from happening.
Common reasons for new kittens crying
Earlier I gave you a brief idea as to why your cat is crying. I’m going to give you some more detail on those reasons to help you understand, as well as more common suggestions. Here are the common reasons:
- New environment
- Boredom
- Hunger
- Missing her mother
01. New environment.
If you have recently moved to a new house (Click here to see how to stop your kitten hissing at your older cat), this can make a big difference in your cat’s life. By nature cats really do not like changes and it takes them a while to adjust to the new environment. Believe it or not, this simple move could be causing them to be constantly meowing at night.
02. Boredom.
Boredom is another known issue that can cause this. You may be wondering why right? Your cat is quite an affectionate creature and needs love, activity, and kept active.
It’s important to keep him entertained so that he doesn’t get bored and keep you up at night.
03. Hunger.
Hunger is one of the main issues which can cause meowing at night. You may feel that you have fed your cat enough during the day but even so, she may get a little bit peckish during the night.
And this may be why she is calling and crying (what if you cry? click here) out to you at night. The best way is to make sure he is fully satisfied before you hit the pillow.
04. Missing its mother.
New kittens are unfortunately big business for breeders. So, they are often sold way before they are psychologically (and physically) ready. This means that they are often left lonely and whining for their mother at night.
05. Other Cats
An angry/scared-looking cat with its mouth open & teeth exposed.
Another potential issue is other cats in your area. These cats may be traumatizing your little kitty. Making them feel upset and meowing at all hours of the night.
What should you do with your kitten at night-time?
When you have a new kitten sometimes it is hard to adjust and work out how to keep her happy. Especially at night. But what do you do when it’s nighttime to keep her happy? Good question, in this section I’m going to address this.
01. Her own Cat bed
It is tempting to get them comfortable next to you or in your bedroom during the night but it is a bad habit and something that could come back and bite you soon. The problem is, like a new baby, if they get comfortable they will expect it every night.
Therefore, it is better to get them used to sleep in their own cat bed (Click here for my 5 best cat beds for Kittens) as soon as possible.
You can opt for a large cat bed (Click here to see this one) and pad it out with additional pillows and sheets so that it is more comfortable. Alternatively, you can get a smaller-sized bed, then simply upgrade it as it gets bigger.
What should you do during the day?
During the day or at night correction in the evening you will be happy or shall I say your new kitten will be happy to relax near you whether this be chilling on the sofa or just lounging in the sitting room with you.
In time you may even notice that your kitten is taking short naps during the day in the same sofa bed that you have laid out for the nighttime.
How can you make the meowing stop?
You may be wondering how you can actually make them stop meowing? There are several ways to achieve this and in all honesty, you need to try some of these techniques I’m going to share with you and see how your cat responds, are you with me?
01. Keep her active during the day.
One of the biggest factors is the fact that your cat is full of energy at night-time and lounges around in the day. This causes you problems because when you need to get your sleep your cat is feeling active and meowing for your attention.
Therefore, you can get around this by keeping them active during the day. Effectively, you need to tire them out so they rest at night.
02. Pushing the mealtime back.
Another technique that you can use this to purposely push their meal time towards the end of the day. The idea here is to keep them hungry up until a later slot in the evening.
This way, they will be content and full before you go to bed. This will reduce the chances of them waking up and meowing during the night when you’re trying to sleep.
I will be honest, you may encounter some challenges with this method if you are free-feeding your cat (Click here to see how to feed your cat wet food while you are away) (link to article). Free feeding cats will find it hard to shift to a schedule-based diet but this is something that you can consider doing if you are constantly being handed with meowing at night.
03. Providing enough water.
During the nighttime, they must get a good supply of water. This is so that they don’t become thirsty and dehydrated. To be honest this is best practice at most times but essential at night-time.
Therefore, provide a nice supply of water. Ideally, you’ll have a pet cat water fountain (click here to see my 3 Best cat water fountains) alternatively provide a bowl.
04. Keep a tidy litter tray.
One problem that could be causing the issue which is a dirty litter tray, there is a simple way you can improve things. Cats are instinctively clean animals and will not tolerate a dirty cat litter tray.
In fact, they are likely to just stop using it if it’s dirty, or end up using your house as a litter tray, if you know I mean?
Therefore, you should clean it out before going to bed to make sure that this is not going to be a problem that’s going to keep you up at night.
05. Give them more attention.
We talked earlier about kittens being removed from their mothers too early, right? These young cats must geta lot of love and attention. And, if they feel they are not getting this they could start complaining.
And complaining, for a cat, is in the form of meowing (Click here if it’s silent). And unfortunately, this is typically at night-time when you least want it.
Therefore, to get around this, it is a good idea to give them enough love and attention during the waking hours so that they feel happy and content in their environment.
06. Providing a night light.
Night lights are a good way to keep a kitten happy during the night (Click here to see my 3 best night lights for kittens). It is not essential but you may find it will help them to feel more comfortable, especially if they’re in a new environment.
Can I put my kitten in a separate room at night?
Yes, you can put your kitten inside a separate room at night, however, you must prepare the room correctly.
The room needs to feel comfortable for your kitten which will entice them to stay in the room so that you can focus on getting some sleep. This is why some smart cat owners use cat beds or cat cubes (Click here to see why I feel this one is the best).
How should a cat room look?
In the previous section, I talked about using a separate room for your kitten (or cat room if you like). But, how should this room look? This is what I would like to discuss now.
The cat room is a room like any other, but you must choose the right room for this. For example, the kitchen is not a good idea for a cat room. Why? because there are so many objects which could harm your kitten. Such as knives, plates, and things that could cause problems.
The bathroom may be a good contender as long as you prepare the room in such a way that there aren’t any dangerous items that are looking for your kitten to use.
When you want to start using the room you must make sure the room has:
- litter tray
- supply of food
- water
- entertainment
This entertainment, by the way, could be a cat tree (click here for my 3 best cat trees) or it could be some kind of soft cat toy that they can use to keep them entertained. With regards to the food, for kittens, depending on what age, this could be milk replacement formula, gruel (Click here to learn how to make this), or tinned kitten food.
